Butterfinger Cookie Bars
1 package dark chocolate cake mix (regular size)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 tablespoon baking cocoa
1/2 cup 2% milk
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 large eggs, divided use
6 Butterfinger candy bars (2.1 ounces each), divided
1-1/2 cups chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips, divided
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, flour, pudding mix and cocoa. In another bowl, whisk milk, oil, butter and 1 egg until blended. Add to dry ingredients; stir just until moistened. Press half of the mixture into a greased 15x10x1-in. baking pan. Bake 10 minutes. Meanwhile, chop two candy bars. Stir peanut butter, vanilla and remaining egg into remaining cake mix mixture. Fold in chopped bars and 1 cup chocolate chips. Chop three additional candy bars; sprinkle over warm crust and press down gently. Cover with cake mix mixture; press down firmly with a metal spatula. Crush remaining candy bar; sprinkle crushed bar and remaining chocolate chips over top. Bake 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Store in an airtight container.
Candy Corn Cookies
1/2 cup unsalted butter, soften
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream or half-and-half
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons corn starch
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt, optional and to taste
1 1/2 cups candy corn (10 to 11 ounces)
1 cup white chocolate chips (or salted peanuts)
To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl and electric hand mixer), cream together the first 5 ingredients (through vanilla) on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the next 5 ingredients (through optional salt), and mix on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute; don’t over mix. Add the candy corn, white chocolate chips (or peanuts), and mix until just incorporated. Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two-tablespoon mounds (I made 20). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter. Important note – Strategically place candy corn so that it’s not baking directly on cookie sheet because it will melt, burn, or turn runny if it is. The candy corn pieces need to be in the interior of the cookies, shielded and buffered by dough.
Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly under cooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not over bake because cookies will firm up as they cool. Baking longer than 10 minutes could result in cookies with overly browned undersides. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooking. Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 4 months. Unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Halloween Candy Bark
2 teaspoons butter
1-1/2 pounds white candy coating, coarsely chopped
2 cups pretzels, coarsely chopped
10 Oreo cookies, chopped
3/4 cup candy corn
3/4 cup dry roasted peanuts
1/2 cup milk chocolate M&M’s
1/2 cup Reese’s Pieces
Line a 15x10x1-in. baking pan with foil; grease foil with butter. In a microwave, melt candy coating; stir until smooth. Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients; press into candy coating. Let stand about 1 hour. Break or cut bark into pieces. Store in an airtight container.
Halloween Blondies
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped pecans, divided
2/3 cup milk chocolate M&M’s, divided
2/3 cup chopped candy corn, divided
2/3 cup coarsely chopped miniature pretzels, divided
2/3 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips, divided
2/3 cup butterscotch chips, divided
1 jar (12 ounces) hot caramel ice cream topping
Preheat oven to 375°. Line a 13×9-in. baking pan with parchment paper, letting ends extend up sides; grease paper. In a large bowl, beat melted butter and brown sugar until blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to brown sugar mixture, mixing well. Stir in half of the pecans, M&M’s, candy corn, pretzels, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
Spread into prepared pan. Bake 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Spread caramel topping over bars; sprinkle with remaining pecans, M&M’s, candy corn, pretzels, chocolate chips and butterscotch chips. Lifting with parchment paper, remove from pan. Cut into bars.
Kid Friendly candy bar cookies
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup flaked coconut
5 milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounces each)
Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Beat in oats and coconut. Roll into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets; flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes or until lightly browned. Break each candy bar into 12 pieces; press a chocolate piece into the center of each warm cookie. Remove to wire racks.
Harvest Snack Mix
2 cups pretzel sticks
1 cup mixed nuts
1/2 cup sunflower kernels
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
8 cups popped popcorn
1 cup candy corn
1 cup chocolate bridge mix
In a large bowl, combine the pretzels, nuts and sunflower kernels. Combine the butter, cinnamon and cloves. Drizzle a third of butter mixture over pretzel mixture; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 300° for 15 minutes. Place popcorn in a large bowl; drizzle with remaining butter mixture and toss to coat. Stir into pretzel mixture. Bake 15 minutes longer or until heated through. Cool; transfer to a large bowl. Add candy corn and bridge mix; toss to combine.
Candy Bar Crescent Rolls
1 tube (8 ounces) refrigerated crescent rolls
1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 plain milk chocolate candy bars (1.55 ounces each), broken into small pieces
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons sliced almonds
Unroll crescent roll dough; separate into triangles. Brush with butter. Arrange candy bar pieces evenly over triangles; roll up from the wide end. Place point side down on a greased baking sheet; curve ends slightly. Brush with egg and sprinkle with almonds. Bake at 375° for 11-13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Halloween Muddy Buddy Mix
9 cups Corn or Rice Chex Cereal
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups candy corn
1 1/2 cups Reese’s Pieces
2 cups pretzels (can be the minis, regular, sticks)
Pour Chex Cereal in a large bowl and set aside. In a microwave safe bowl melt chocolate chips, butter and peanut butter together on high for one minute. Stir and return to microwave, microwaving in 30 second increments until melted together and smooth. Stir in vanilla. Pour chocolate-peanut butter mixture over the cereal and gently stir to coat. I like to put on a pair of kitchen gloves and use my hands to toss the cereal in the chocolate so I don’t crush it. Place cereal in a large zip lock bag, pour powdered sugar in, seal and shake until evenly coated. Spread cereal out on to wax paper and let cool completely. In a large bowl combine cereal, candy corn, Reese’s Pieces, and pretzels. Store in an air-tight container.